


The Beauty of Love and Snapchat

by Navybluewings



Series: Meet Ups? More like Mess Ups! [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: First time meetups, Full of fluff, Kuroo Tetsurou is a Good Friend, M/M, Sawamura Daichi is a Dork, Snapchat, Valentine's Day, Volleydorks, lots of cameos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-28 17:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10141781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Navybluewings/pseuds/Navybluewings
Summary: It's Valentines Day, and where is Daichi spending it? Working on a term paper in the library with his best friend Kuroo. It seems like he's destined to spend another lover's holiday alone, until one snapchat request and a mystery guy's answer turns Daichi's whole night upside down. Will he take a shot at love, or will time run out for him?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! So while I'm preparing my two new stories for release, I got some inspiration from a news story online that was super cute and I decided to make my own spin on it! So please enjoy, and let me know what you think!

“You are the worst Valentine ever.” It was hard for Daichi Sawamura to ignore the loud groan from his friend when it echoed in the empty library. Normally, a Tuesday night would mean some bookworms would still be shuffling between the bookshelves. But on February 14th, there were only three souls in the dusty building. One, the librarian, was forced to be there. And while Daichi was there for the right reasons, the same could not be said for his overdramatic friend.

 

“You didn’t have to come, Kuroo. This paper doesn’t need your stupidity rubbing off on it.” Daichi didn’t lift his head from the article he was reading, but his ears caught his friend’s unmanly whine.

 

“Who else am I going to hang out with? Kenma picked up a shift because the idea of romance is dead to my introverted boyfriend, and Bokuto’s Djing until midnight. You’re the only single person I know. Hence why you’re my honey bear tonight.” 

 

“Don’t call me that,” Daichi replied, grunting when a heavy body fell against his shoulder.

 

“Why don’t you love your valentine?”

 

“Funny, I don’t remember asking for that role.”

 

“Well you should have; I’m a hot ticket. Even though I’m happily involved with Kenma, women and men from all over the campus want me. But I’ve vowed my attention to your lame ass, so buy me some chocolate or at least a shot.” Kuroo’s cheek rubbed against Daichi’s in a way that only Kuroo could make normal. He was like a cat; never respecting personal space and determining that everyone wanted him to rub up against them. The short haired man rolled his eyes at his confident friend, his attention dropping back onto his laptop. 

 

“Guess I’m too ‘lame’ to appreciate your generosity. Plus, Valentine’s day doesn’t really change the due date of this paper, you know.” 

 

“Man, Takeda-sensei doesn’t pull punches. You think a softie like him would have a weak spot for the lover’s holiday.” Daichi shoved Kuroo away from him, smirking when his suave classmate nearly tipped over in his chair. It was childish, but Daichi had to appreciate the little victories in life if he was going to get through this semester. 

 

“This is his job, idiot. I don’t think he’s concerned about this fake holiday.” Takeda-sensei was a good education teacher, and Daichi wanted to get a top grade in the class. He had plans on asking to intern for Takeda-sensei in the summer, and failing the paper would not be a good image. But between juggling work and his other classes, Daichi had only been able to carve out time today to finish up his research. Valentine’s day didn’t really matter to him anyways, as he had been single for quite some time. But if he knew Kuroo was going to pester him while he worked, he would have never told the easily bored friend where he was an hour ago. 

 

“How much more do you have to write?” Like an impatient child, Kuroo squirmed in his seat while staring at his focused friend.

 

“A few hours, I think. The reference page is the bulk of the work, and I’ve got to spend some time looking at my sentence structures-”

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the hottest Karasuno nerd on campus.” When Daichi looked up, he was greeted with Kuroo’s phone peering down at him. Though he wanted to scold his friend, he felt himself laugh as Kuroo wiggled his eyebrows behind the phone and grinned. “And he’s quite single and lonely. Any people out there looking for a Valentine’s date on Cupid’s favorite holiday?” 

 

“Were you taping me?” Daichi asked once the phone was dropped back to the table in front of them. Kuroo, now interested in whatever he had done on the device, didn’t let Daichi’s question divert his attention.

 

“Snapchat, obviously. You are so old school, man.” It wasn’t the first time that Daichi had gotten that comment before. While others his age were focused on getting followers and updating their tweets, Daichi couldn’t care less. He barely used the facebook that Bokuto and Kuroo had made for him, and it was mostly to see where said friends were currently haunting. He had heard of snapchat, but he didn’t have the faintest idea how to use it. Meanwhile, his best friend seemed more than capable of using the application for his own amusement. 

 

“Who can see that, anyways?” Daichi asked, disliking the smirk Kuroo wore while he shrugged.

 

“Well, normally it’d just be people I’m friends with on snapchat, but since you’re obsessed with showing off your school pride, I tossed it onto the school’s feed.” Kuroo pointed to the sweatshirt Daichi was wearing, which proudly presented he was a student at Karasuno College. Kuroo had one as well, yet his sweatshirt was never worn unless he was planning to bum around his apartment. Daichi saw no harm in wearing the warm sweatshirt, even if it had started to get worn out from constant use. 

 

“Wait, so everyone in school can see that?” 

 

“Just the ones who are as pathetic as you on Valentine's day.” As if to prove his point, Kuroo flipped the phone and tapped on the feed called “Karasuno College”, watching a pair of guys flash onto the screen. One looked bald with murder eyes, while his shorter counterpart’s hair stuck up, decorated with a bleach blond strip in the middle. 

 

“Yo, us too, bro! Lonely and looking for a fun time tonight!” The thumbs up from the smaller man made Daichi laugh, his friend letting out a whoop before his shirt swung around his head.

 

“Where’s all the single parties at, yo?” The two were then cut off, and Daichi blinked when another man’s face showed up on the screen. This one looked about Daichi and Kuroo’s age, his dark location littered with glass bottles and a polished bar top.

 

“Aw, someone as cute as you shouldn’t be alone tonight, Karasuno nerd. Come to my bar for a free shot on me.” A wink from the bartender was the last thing before the shift of another video, Daichi realizing that the application didn’t give people a lot of time to talk. The next one was someone asking for help on geometry homework, and Daichi dropped his attention back to the paper in front of him. 

 

Getting distracted by Kuroo’s shenanigans was not going to help him finish up his paper. The darkness out the library windows showed that it was late, and the building would be closing soon. Kuroo, now distracted by the snaps he was receiving, was kept busy for a little while. Daichi worked through a few more parts of his paper, and his mind forgot about Kuroo’s snapchat to focus on his assignment. The flow he was struggling to find was starting to formulate itself, slowly but surely. It wasn’t like he was bad at writing reports; his attention was just a little out of sorts. The classes he attended earlier in the day had the same lack of focus, and he wondered if he really was more aware of the holiday than he realized. 

 

Daichi liked being in relationships. There was something nice about having someone to go home to and share your day with. But despite his respect for only having one partner to devote his time to, it hadn’t been easy to find someone with similar aspirations. Either they weren’t loyal, or they were too childish for Daichi to see a serious relationship forming. And while his friends always teased him about his ‘old man’ traditional values, Daichi wasn’t swayed to change. If he didn’t find someone in college to share his life with, that was okay. He was still young, after all. But even though he always told his friends that his school needed his full attention, Daichi found himself aching for something to spark life back into his heart. 

 

Just as he finished wrapping up a particularly hard paragraph, Kuroo’s sudden whistle caught his attention.

 

“Well look who’s got a bite, Mr.Karasuno nerd.” 

 

“What are you talking about?” Daichi asked, his eyes skimming back over his closing sentence. A sudden yank on his ear made him swear loudly, a flush coming to his cheeks when the librarian glanced up to them from across the room. The pretty student with glasses said nothing, but her calm stare was enough for Daichi to mumble an apology before glaring to his grinning friend beside him. If Kuroo noticed the displeased look he didn’t mention it, his phone sliding across the table with a winning grin. 

 

“Someone responded to our snapchat.” Kuroo clicked through a few of the ones that Daichi had seen earlier, as well as new ones that seemed to have nothing to do with what he was talking about. But then he stopped on a random person, one that quickly caught Daichi’s attention. The slender face of the man in the video was cheerful, paler than Daichi and marked with a beauty mark just outside of his eye. His smile was gentle, cheeks brushed with a blush that contrasted the grey hair fluffing his head. Hazel-brown eyes stared up at the camera that he held, catching part of what looked like a coffee shop. And the first thing that came to Daichi’s mind was just how charming this guy looked. 

 

“Hey, Karasuno nerd, I like your sweatshirt! And if the position’s still open, I’d like to apply.” It was short, too short for Daichi’s liking, and his impish face was gone just as quick as it had appeared. It took Daichi a moment before he realized the video was over, and slowly he looked up at Kuroo with a confused look on his face. 

 

“Position?”

 

“You know, for a smart guy you sure are stupid.” Kuroo’s blunt statement made Daichi scowl, his look only seeming to further please his friend. “He’s talking about being your valentine.”

 

“Me? He wants to be my Valentine?” 

 

“I know, it stunned me too.” Daichi looked back down at the phone, unsure of how to take the information. Though a part of him instantly jumped for joy, his more realistic side was wary. Why would a guy who looked as good as the mystery man want to be his valentine? Didn’t he have other options available to him? Even if Kuroo promoted him, Daichi must have seemed like a dork being cooped up in a library on the day of love. Yet somehow, in a measly ten seconds, something about Daichi had caught the man’s interest. 

 

“Well...what do I do now?” Daichi asked, Kuroo snorting before snatching his phone back. 

 

“What do you mean? The guy’s hot; you obviously ask him out for a date.” Kuroo’s phone was back in the air, pointing at Daichi. “You give a shout-out to him, then see what his plans are for tonight. Maybe mention how much you drooled over him.” 

 

“I didn’t drool,” Daichi protested instantly, Kuroo waving his hand before he gave a thumbs up. Taking that as a sign that his friend was recording, Daichi awkwardly played with the pen in front of him as he tried to give a smile that didn’t show his uneasiness. “Hey, uh...mystery guy. What are you doing tonight? Hopefully not a paper like me.” 

 

“Because mentioning you’re a loser doing term work on the most romantic day of the year is a real good way to catch his attention,” Kuroo commented, snickering at how red Daichi’s face got before he sent the snap out. Crumpling a piece of blank paper, Daichi tossed it at Kuroo’s head, laughing when it got snagged by the tangled mess of black hair. Kuroo frowned as he ripped the paper from his hair, Daichi returning his focus onto his paper. 

 

Or, tried to at least. Though the studious man wanted to forgot about the past few minutes to get his homework done, Daichi knew his eyes would casually float back to phone that was held hostage in Kuroo’s hands. He didn’t want to seem like he was waiting for a response from someone he’d never even met before, yet there was no denying his heart would stutter in its beat whenever Kuroo’s phone vibrated with a notification. After ten minutes of waiting for his lackadaisical friend to turn his attention back to the snapchat story, Daichi wondered if he’d even get a response. Maybe the guy was just teasing him. Or maybe he meant someone else on the story feed. There had to be other people who were wearing a sweatshirt, right? Who said it was just him that-

 

“He answered.” Daichi didn’t wait for Kuroo to give him the phone; the man was out of his seat and moving to see the screen before his mind could chastise him for the impatient movement. Looking over Kuroo’s shoulder, Daichi waited for the application to pop up again, his smile instant when seeing the fair haired man return to the feed. 

 

“To the handsome Karasuno nerd: I’m working until nine, then I’m going to the ‘Kick Cupid’s Ass’ barcrawl. You think you could come?” The hopeful gleam in the hazel eyes gave Daichi the hint that this guy was just as interested in meeting up as him, though the education student tried not to let it show on his face. The last thing he needed was Kuroo making fun of him for getting so hopeful over a lame conversation between snapchats on the school’s newsfeed. 

 

“Well would you look at that; the kid’s got bigger balls than you do. He’s asking you out on a date for valentine’s day. You sexy man! ” Kuroo’s words should have made him grin in pride (or slap him for the earlier insult), but instead Daichi groaned and dropped his forehead onto the table in front of them, crumpling into the seat beside Kuroo. 

 

“I can’t go out tonight; my paper is due by midnight.” 

 

“Can’t you just bullshit the rest of it and call it a day? You could get an F on this thing and still end up with a passing grade in the class; Takeda-san loves you.” While the statement was probably true, Daichi shook his head against the cool tabletop. 

 

“I really want a good grade on this paper.” Snagging the phone, Daichi lifted his head and waited until the camera focused back on his face before he held the little circle Kuroo had pointed to. Once seeing the red line start to circle the record button, Daichi tilted the camera to take a glimpse of the work on the table before he spoke. “To the mystery guy with the kind smile; I’m not sure if I can, I’ve got a huge paper due for midnight.” 

 

Once he saw the video being played back to him, he dropped his hand to the table, letting Kuroo take over and post the video. His eyes were hooded as he stared at his arm, wondering if it was a blessing or curse to be so dedicated to his schooling. The student he was talking with via snapchat was attractive and seemed nice. It had been a while since someone had openly admitted their interest in Daichi, and he was probably a fool for letting a paper get in the way of meeting the man. The phone’s screen loaded with new responses on the Karasuno newsfeed, the same silly duo from before now donning Karasuno jerseys to ‘help up their game’. The following snap was a familiar tall man who looked way too old to be in college, though Daichi knew that wasn’t the case. Asahi had been in Daichi’s child psychology class last semester, and the shy man was living proof you couldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. The man seemed to be holed up in his room, his snap of the books in his lap showing he was in the same predicament that Daichi was. He gave a sympathizing smile before the screen flashed to a face Daichi saw way too often.

 

“You little pussy!” Bokuto’s loud call in the phone caused Kuroo to burst out in laughter, the librarian shaking her head but not voicing her displeasure. Bokuto’s video continued, seeming to ignore his responsibilities for setting up his DJ equipment. “Stop being a dork and take this hot mystery guy out on a date!” 

 

“Well, he’s got a point,” Kuroo chimed in, Daichi rolling his eyes to see another person had responded on the news feed.

 

“This isn’t a dating website, you know. Focus on your paper.” The blond haired man scowled under his thick rimmed glasses, contrasting the mousy looking friend who laid next to him on the bed. The freckles and wide brown eyes showed more interest in the feed than his sassy friend, mouthing ‘good luck!’ over the pale man’s shoulder before the video cut off. Though a bit snarky, Daichi knew the last person’s message was right. If he continued to play on the newsfeed, then he would not only miss out on the date, but he wouldn’t finish his paper. Choosing between the two was tough, but he wasn’t going to fail both with his indecision. 

 

“Ah, papers are tough!” Except the sweet voice of his mystery man pulled his desire to return to his work right out of him. The small frown on the pale face was not what Daichi wanted to see, pulling at his stomach while the silver hair was swept out of the man’s pretty eyes. “Well if you can finish your paper, you should try to find me before midnight. I’d love to meet you. Wish me luck, Karasuno college!” 

 

A wink was the last thing Daichi saw before the screen went black, and he felt his tense shoulders relax at the playful gesture. He didn’t know this guy from a hole in the wall, yet his simple gestures eased the education student instantly. He empathized but still seemed hopeful that Daichi could meet up sometime during the night. He even gave him until midnight. It seemed too easy for the attractive guy to put faith in Daichi. And though his paper was important to him, he didn’t want to let the other student down. 

 

“You _have_ to go to this barhop!” Kuroo’s exclamation made Daichi groan, pushing himself off the table and shuffling back to where his papers were. The chair squeaked from how the student dropped his weight with no resistance, Daichi shaking his head slowly.

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Dude, you’re a _geotag_!” 

 

“A what?” Moaning at Daichi’s ignorance, Kuroo spun his phone back around and showed the familiar screen of the snapchat feed. People on the Karasuno collegefeed were chatting away about the most recent exchange between the two, which felt surreal to Daichi already. But now, at the bottom of their screens, was a banner with the orange and black colors the college was known for. In it, the words ‘Karasuno nerd, Find your Mystery Guy!’ were written in bold white letters. Daichi blinked in surprise, wondering why the banner had appeared. Kuroo looked happy, but not smug enough to take credit for it. So then, who had made the sign?

 

“It’s what happens when something is trending on the snap feed. You two are like, stars now. And everyone is talking about you ditching your paper to go find this guy!” 

 

“Unless Takeda-san gets on there and tells me to forget the paper, I can’t. The sooner you let me focus on it, the quicker I’ll get it finished and maybe have enough time to try and find this guy.” Which seemed unlikely at this point. The clock had just turned to 8pm, which meant that the library was closing. Sighing as he grabbed his stuff, Daichi looked over to his friend who was now flipping the camera onto his own goofy smile. 

 

“This is a mission for all; find Takeda-sensei and tell him there’s love on the line! May the odds ever be in your favor.” 

 

“Did you just steal a line from the Hunger Games?” Kuroo grinned in response to Daichi’s question, the serious student shaking his head at the two made their way out of the library. The cold air smacked Daichi’s cheeks hard, and he yanked his papers closer to him. The taller of the two seemed to take no issue in wrapping an arm over Daichi’s shoulders, though the education student couldn’t complain about the warm that came with it. Even if he was a bit of a pain, Kuroo always looked out for his friends, and had no problem sharing the furnace-like warmth that seemed to come naturally from him. There were no ill intentions with the touch, as Daichi knew just how committed Kuroo was to his short and quiet boyfriend. Even still, sometimes he wondered if others misread their closeness as something else. 

 

As the two walked the desolated sidewalk toward Daichi’s dorm room, Kuroo continued to show the newsfeed and Daichi’s growing popularity. The pair of ‘lonely’ underclassmen were not above pimping themselves for a date, the shorter man seeming to take interest in ‘the cute guy with the beard’. In response, the red-faced Asahi mumbled a quiet ‘y-you’re nice looking, too’ before saying he wished the mystery guy good luck. The man with glasses took no shame in calling Daichi a loser, though his freckled friend snuck the geofilter on the bottom with a drawn heart on the side. All forms of praise for his beauty-marked valentine and attempts to persuade Daichi to ditch the paper flooded the news feed. 

 

But there was one pair that caught both men’s interest the most. 

 

“Alright! Mission accepted! Me and Bakayama are on the case.” With bright orange hair and a grin that plastered itself over his cherub face, a tiny guy was hopping around what looked to be a gymnasium. Behind him, a lanky student was glaring at his back, shouting insults despite the camera being on them. It was a weird duo, for sure, but Daichi couldn’t help admiring their spunk. 

 

“What could they even do? It’s not like Tanaka-senpai is still at the college,” Daichi argued, leading his friend up the flight of stairs to his dorm. Kuroo shrugged, not wasting time claiming the couch when Daichi opened the door. His hands crossed behind his head as he let out a content sigh, his shoes a mess by his feet while he stretched.

 

“You can never underestimate the small ones; they’re the sneakiest.” 

 

“You only say that because Kenma beats you in Monopoly every time we play,” Daichi argued, sneaking into his kitchen to grab a granola bar before tossing one toward his lazy friend. Even without seeing the toss, Kuroo snagged it from the air like it was nothing, unwrapping the snack and popping it into his mouth in seconds.

 

“I swear he cheats. How does he manage to convince me to give him boardwalk _every_ time?” Chomping another piece of his treat, Kuroo watched Daichi move into the recliner next to him before he spoke through the food in his mouth. “It’s jedi mind tricks or something.”

 

“I’m pretty sure he just knows you turn into putty when he plays with your hair.” Kuroo tapped his chin at the accusation, and Daichi laughed when Kuroo’s eyes widened at the revelation. “Did you not notice?” 

 

“That little monster! Wait till I see him tonight.” Daichi hummed in acknowledgement as he turned his eyes back to his paper, knowing Kuroo’s threat was empty. No matter what Kenma did, Kuroo could never stay mad at him for long. It was just how their relationship was; neither could build a true annoyance with the other. Was that because they were in love, or because they had been friends since they were babies? Though Kenma could get snappy when Kuroo refused to let him play his video games, and Kuroo when Kenma forgot to eat all day, it was never enough to cause real tension. “By the way, Bokuto just clucked like a chicken for ten seconds and told me to pass it on to you.”

 

“How does he do that at his job and not get fired?” Daichi questioned, his fingers writing out a sentence while Kuroo shrugged.

 

“Talent.” 

 

And for the first time since the entire snapchat fiasco started, the two stopped talking. Kuroo kept the phone close to him while he turned on the television, and Daichi honed his attention in on paper in front of him. If he wasn’t a perfectionist, maybe the paper could pass as acceptable enough to call complete. But he knew that his reference sheet was a mess, and the closing paragraph needed some attention. So he worked, scolding himself each time that his eyes flickered up to the clock. By now he knew that his mystery guy was out of work, and that he was probably getting ready to go out. And instead of doing the same, the education student was trying to decide if his paper had enough examples to support his thesis. 

 

An hour after getting back to his dorm, Kuroo broke the silence.

 

“Holy shit.” The amazed look on the man’s face pulled Daichi away from his paper, surprised at how Kuro quickly crawled over the cushions of the couch. Before he could ask what had happened, Daichi’s wrist was snatched, pulling him out of the recliner. Papers were scattered on the floor in the movement, Daichi nearly tripping over the armrest of the couch from how hard Kuroo was pulling him. 

 

“Kuroo, my paper-”

 

“They fucking did it!” 

 

“Who? Who did what?” Daichi’s questions were only answered by Kuroo shoving the phone into Daichi’s hands, the calmer man slowly taking possession of the device before looking down to the screen. Kuroo was hunched by his side, quick to click through a few videos that still held the geotag from before. After about six tries, Kuroo finally stopped on one video, where a familiar mop of orange took over the screen. 

 

“We found him!” The overjoyed voice was paired with flush cheeks and heavy breathing, the short man’s camera shaking from his excitement. “My coach is really close with Takeda-sensei, so me and Kageyama were able to find him!”

 

There was a pause in the video, as the ten seconds had run out, but the next one that followed was still the same student. This time, his snap was focused on the previous teammate, whose face was bright in color as he stared in a panic at the screen. Next to him was a man who Daichi knew very well; Takeda-sensei. 

 

“Hinata brought to my attention that one of my best students may be putting off meeting a very nice man because of my paper.” With a cheerful smile, the teacher looked over to Kageyama before giving him a gentle nudge in the side. “And with Kageyama’s assurance the matter was quite important, I have extended the paper.” 

 

A third snap appeared, Takeda-sensei holding a sign with the familiar banner from the geofilter written on it. It seemed a fourth person was holding the phone, as Hinata and Kageyama were on the teacher’s left side. 

 

“To the um...Karasuno nerd, I’ve extended the paper until Thursday. Enjoy your valentine's day, and get your mystery guy.” A happy cheer from Hinata echoed in the video as he jumped onto Kageyama, the taller boy quick to wrap his arms around the body before flushing in obvious embarrassment. A masculine chuckle was followed by the words ‘brats’ before the video was shut off. Daichi stared at the screen for a few seconds longer, as if unsure that what he had seen was true. He didn’t have time to really think about what to say about the video before Kuroo was yanking him into the shot, the phone perched up above them as Kuroo grinned.

 

“We owe that freak duo breakfast tomorrow! You’re the MVPs of Valentine’s day.” Then he pointed at the screen, as if talking to everyone watching. “I’ll get him ready, you guys tell me where the mystery guy is!” 

 

“Get me ready?” Daichi asked, Kuroo glancing at his outfit before quirking an eyebrow. 

 

“You’re not planning on wearing that to meet your hot date, right?” The slight blush Daichi gave in response made Kuroo sigh, pushing off the couch to move toward what he knew was Daichi’s room. “Be lucky you’ve got such an amazing best friend. Go take a shower, I’ll get your outfit picked out.” 

 

“But…” Daichi wanted to ask if they even had time for him to get in a shower. It was just past 9:30pm, and they had no clue where his ‘date’ was. Was he even waiting still? What if he had found someone else? 

 

“A shower will help calm your nerves, and it’ll give me time to choose something. If this guy wants to meet you, twenty minutes won’t make a difference. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.” Giving a confident thumbs up, Kuroo turned away from his friend and moved into his bedroom. The grounding words made the education student’s shoulders relax. Even if Kuroo was a goofball, he had Daichi’s best interests at heart. He wouldn’t have put in so much time checking the news feed and offering to get two strangers breakfast if he didn’t. He probably was keeping track of the time just as closely as Daichi. 

 

And just as Kuroo had predicted, the shower slowed Daichi’s overwhelming thoughts. 

 

“Which way are we heading?” Daichi was shoving his feet into his shoes as the two moved to the entranceway of his dorm. The clock had just hit ten, and neither had mentioned they were now working against the clock. Kuroo’s eyes were back on the phone, clicking through the snaps of encouragement and cheers. 

 

“Found him!” A snap of a bartender with a sleepy gaze and well kept hair caught Kuroo’s attention, the pair watching the video unfold. Over the bartender’s shoulder was a familiar sight of silver hair, hazel eyes seeming to look around in curiosity. The video flipped back to the bartender with a half smile, with the caption ‘Mystery Man Spotted, where is Karasuno nerd?’

 

“Do you know that bar?” Daichi asked, Kuroo scowling as he shook his head.

 

“It was too dark to pick anything specific out.” They clicked on the next video, which held a very unlikely helper for the two.

 

“Ennoshita-san works at the Crow’s Nest on the street next to the art building.” 

 

“Tsukki, I brought the popcorn!” ‘Freckles’ dropped back next to the tall blond, a bowl of snacks and an excited gaze falling onto the camera. “We’re cheering for you, Karasuno nerd!” The scrunching of his partner’s face showed he didn’t want the information to be shared, though his helpful hint proved the once snobby student was more interested in the story unfolding than he wished to admit. 

 

“Thanks, _Tsukki_ ,” Kuroo teased the newsfeed, his snicker recorded before he shut off the snap and turned back to Daichi. “That’s all the way on the other side of the campus; you ready?” 

 

“Even if I wasn’t, you’d make me go.” Daichi went to grab his sweatshirt, though hesitated when thinking about how worn down it was. Though he liked the sweatshirt, would it leave a good impression on his date? Kuroo had been bugging him about the ratty thing all week. His eyes flickered over to his button up jacket, wondering if it would be the better choice.

 

“Just wear the sweatshirt.” Kuroo’s tone brought Daichi’s attention back to him, the bed head shrugging before shoving his hands in his pockets. “You’re known as the Karasuno nerd; it’d be weird now to not wear it.” 

 

“You think?” But he was snagging the sweatshirt before Kuroo could even nod. Once the fabric was settled over his stomach the two were out of the dorm and on the hunt. Daichi let Kuroo lead, knowing the man was a legend at getting across the campus faster than anyone else (since he slept in late all the time). While they made their way through the campus, people shouted out to them with cheers that made Daichi flush. How many people were following this story? Though Daichi was pretty popular in the college for all the extra curricular activities he did, this felt awkward. If someone had told him the day before that he’d be chasing a phantom valentine all over the campus, Daichi would have asked if they had fallen on their head. But now, the education student could only increase his pace when another snapchat came in with the new banner ‘Karasuno nerd on the Move!’ 

 

First was Asahi, who made mention that the bar was the first place for the pub crawl, meaning that they wouldn’t be there long. The second were the jersey wearing pair, the bleached hair shorty loudly declaring that him and ‘Tanaka’ were going to grab burgers at the fast food restaurant just outside of the campus, if any ‘bearded hotties’ wanted to join. A few more random snaps of the bar that the mystery guy was at came up, though the return of Ennoshita paused the two men after crossing the street. 

 

It was a video of his valentine standing with a guy that neither recognized, though his hand moving to the mystery guy’s hip showed what his intentions were. Daichi had no reason to be jealous; it wasn’t like they were even dating! Yet the rumble of displeasure was evident in his chest, only dissipating when the silver-haired man pushed the hand away with a clear sign of rejection. The snap’s caption read ‘Mystery guy turned him down because he wasn’t Karasuno nerd!’, and it made Daichi’s lips struggle not to split with his grin. The rush of adrenaline was enhanced when the following snap was from the man of the hour. His cheeks were flush, from the alcohol or the bar Daichi wasn’t sure. Big hazel eyes peered innocently in the camera, his soft voice barely able to be heard over the pumping music. 

 

“Where’s my valentine? We’re about to leave!” A pout only marred his lips for a second before the man was yanked out of the frame, the snap ending abruptly. 

 

“Shit.” Kuroo’s swear mirrored Daichi’s feelings, the two sending each other a side glance before they started to sprint. He felt silly, a bit childish even, yet the rational side of his brain was shoved way down. The night had no room for reason; if it did, he would still be in his room working on his paper. But the romance was practically palpable to Daichi, and he felt it pounding through his body as the two finally pushed into the bar. The party was still going strong in the place, with plenty of singles making one-night romances. Kuroo pointed over to the bar, where a familiar relaxed bartender was serving a set of beers to a few girls. Daichi didn’t hesitate to run over to the bartop, his breathing momentarily stealing the words from him. 

 

“Hey, I know you. You’re the Karasuno nerd.” Ennoshita gave a sad smile when Daichi nodded, his eyes glancing toward the door. “I’m afraid you just missed him; your mystery guy and his team just left for the next bar.”

 

“Damn! How long ago?” Kuroo asked, the bartender cleaning a glass while he glanced to the clock.

 

“Maybe five minutes ago, though he left before I could ask where they were heading next. Sorry.” 

 

“It’s okay,” Daichi answered softly, his tired legs making him take a seat at the bar. Kuroo was already sending out a new snap, asking for any new sightings of the pub crawl. The education student knew that the time it took to get to the bar wasn’t long, but their timeframe was shrinking. 

 

“May I ask a question?” The bartender’s soft voice was hard to hear, but Daichi nodded enough to show he was okay with Ennoshita continuing. “Do you intend to keep chasing this guy?”

 

“Hopefully not for long,” Daichi answered, smiling. Ennoshita took a quiet glance around the bar before he turned his attention back to the dark haired man sitting in front of him.

 

“It would be great if you found him, but you could probably find someone here to be your valentine now that you’ve gotten snapchat famous. It wouldn’t be as much of a hassle either, and there’s no saying you’ll find him.”

 

“Out of the question.” Daichi’s firm tone seemed to shock the bartender, but the education student refused to back down. “I didn’t abandon my favorite teacher’s paper and run all the way across campus to get anyone. I came to find him.” 

 

“That was badass, Daichi.” Kuroo’s sudden praise made him turn to his friend, his face flushing when realizing that Kuroo’s snapchat had been recording. Before he could protest, Kuroo sent the snap, then snagged his friend under his arm to record another snap. “We’re coming to get you, mystery guy. So someone, send up a sign!” 

 

“I hope you two find him,” Ennoshita supported, giving the two a smile as they got ready to leave the bar. But Daichi had no clue where they were heading. The Karasuno college campus snapchat was roaring with attention. Tanaka and his short friend ("Noya, he's still looking for his mystery guy!") were cheering the Karasuno nerd on, a new banner proudly saying ‘Find the Mystery Guy!’. The two were walking through campus, and a snap from Asahi proved that the gentle giant seemed to accept the invitation for a late night burger run. Asahi’s snap of ‘I saw a big group calling for Karasuno nerd’ made Kuroo snicker and Daichi groan, wondering if the name would stick with him until he graduated. 

 

But finally, a stroke of luck came in the form of a pretty brunet that had snapchatted much earlier in the night. 

 

“Look who just popped into my lovely establishment!” The man’s arm was wrapped around the elusive mystery guy, who looked a little embarrassed at the kiss that was placed to his cheek before the snap was cut short. 

 

“Aoba Jousai’s bar!” ‘Freckles’ (as Kuroo had deemed him) shouted in the following snap, Tsukki snorting before he snagged a handful of popcorn and leaned his head on his blushing comrade’s shoulder.

 

“Good luck getting in there; that place is packed on tuesdays.” 

 

“That bar’s on setter lane,” Kuroo said, peeking up to Daichi with a grin. “Bokuto’s working there tonight. It’s a hike, but we can make it!” 

 

“Let’s go.” Daichi nodded in determination, refusing to give up now. He saw Ennoshita’s phone lift when they left, Kuroo later confirming that Ennoshita had posted their departure with the caption ‘Hang in there, Mystery guy!’. The MVPs of the night appeared back on the news feed, Hinata’s lips bruised and Kageyama’s hair disheveled, both sure that the Karasuno nerd would make it in time. A snap of Asahi, Tanaka, and Noya appeared with a set of thumbs up, piles of food barely disguising the arm placed around the shorter man’s shoulders. The phone was then shoved into Kuroo’s pocket, both men focusing on running to the next bar. And Kuroo wasn’t kidding when he said it wasn’t close. Daichi could barely feel his face from running so long. By the time they made it to Aoba Jouisai’s bar, the place was just as packed as ‘Tsukki’ had suggested. There was a line outside of the bar just to get in. 

 

“Shit,” Kuroo muttered, his hair running through the mop of hair as he looked at the line. Daichi took a glance to his own phone, showing that they had twenty minutes until Valentine’s day would be officially over. If he didn’t find the mystery guy here, then the whole trip was for nothing. Feeling a rush of stubborn energy spike in him, Daichi ignored his mental embarrassment as he cupped his hands over his lips, making sure to project his voice.

 

“Attention!” The glances of shock should have made him want to sink into the ground and die, but Daichi kept his face firm in determination as he pointed to the bar. “Some of you might not have a clue as to what I’m referring to, but I’m the Karasuno nerd. And the mystery guy is somewhere in this bar.”

 

“Exactly! So let us through.” Kuroo took over instantly, waving through the line with a pride for his friend that was visible. It amazed Daichi that people actually let them through, but from how many people were giggling or wolf-whistling, he had a feeling the students were following his crazy story from hours ago. The sudden modesty he should have felt before was creeping into his cheeks, but Kuroo didn’t give him time to let it rear it’s head. The two paid the bouncer for the cover fee of the establishment, Kuroo yanking his friend into the fray. 

 

The place was packed full of people, but Daichi knew where they needed to go first. Mumbling apologies that wouldn’t be heard over the music, the two pushed through to the horseshoe bar that was nestled in the back corner. Bokuto was visible from where they stood, focused on getting the place pumped. People were too busy dancing to the music to be hanging at the bar, making it easy for the two to snag barstools. The brunet from the snap was talking to a pair of pretty blondes, though his attention was instantly caught when he noticed the two people now sitting in front of him.

 

“Oh, it's you two! The stars of Karasuno college. My, you are much cuter in person than those snaps let on.” The purr of his voice hinted at why his tip jar was overfilled with bills, the brown gaze flirty as he leaned on his elbows in front of the pair. “My name’s Oikawa, would you like a drink?” 

 

“Not until we find the mystery guy,” Kuroo said, Oikawa giving a blink and a head tilt before he turned to the bottles lining the island behind him.

 

“Well I hate to break the news to you, but that pub crawl left already. Said this place was too crowded for them, which is just silly. The larger the crowd, the more changes they won’t go home alone, am I right?” 

 

“They left?” Daichi asked, his hops withering when Oikawa nodded without looking back from what he was pouring. Daichi left out a pathetic groan as he dropped his head onto the bar top. Closing his eyes, he tried to ignore the clenching in his stomach. After everything, he had failed. Everyone had helped out, done their part, but it was all for nothing. The chasing, the pushing back of the paper, the silly snapchats. Everything ended up being a bust. Daichi was going to end his valentine’s the same way he began it; alone. 

 

“Here.” A soft clink of a glass next to Daichi’s head made the brown eyes emerge from behind closed lids, Daichi staring at the blue shot in front of him. Slowly he pushed up, his fingers curling around the small glass while he looked up at the smirking bartender. 

 

“What’s this for?” 

 

“I was told to give you a ‘polar bear’ shot when you showed up.” When Daichi stared in confusion, Oikawa huffed and rolled his eyes. “You know, for breaking the ice?” 

 

“Who…” Oikawa stepped out of the way, giving Daichi the ability to see across the bar to the other side. There, sitting alone with a half-drank margarita and nervously clenched fingers, was the man Daichi had been chasing all night. His face was turned away from Daichi, seeming to look around the crown with a concerned frown. The pretty hazel eyes flickered back to the clock hanging on the wall, and it was then that Daichi realized they only had a few minutes left of the night. 

 

“What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get your guy.” Kuroo giving him a hard clap on his shoulder and he wasted no time in downing the shot, pushing off the barstool and making his way around the bar. The man was looking out toward the door when Daichi finally sat next to him, clearing his throat to speak. The introduction was never started because his snapchat acquaintance cut him off. 

 

“I’m sorry, but I’m actually waiting for-” The man’s eyes finally dragged back to him, widening once recognizing who he was rebuffing. Tempting lips parted in shock, and Daichi felt himself smile as he waved the empty shot glass in front of him before placing it next to the man’s drink. 

 

“So I shouldn’t have accepted that shot from the bartender?” Their eyes locked for a few seconds of silence, though the booming voice of a familiar DJ filled Daichi’s ears and courage. 

 

“Last song for Valentine’s day, so you better show your sweetheart how happy you are to be sharing the holiday with them! Night Owl, signing off. Hoot hoot!” A song that Daichi couldn’t name started to play, though he didn’t care. The man in front of him was pretty in pink, eyes shining in excitement and nerves. His hair looked really soft, and the teeth that gently bit into his lower lip were perfect. Thick eyelashes fluttered for a moment before the man glanced away to his drink, where his finger was hesitantly outlining the rim of the glass. 

 

And with seconds left of the weirdest day of his life, Daichi tossed caution to the wind.

 

“I wouldn’t do this normally, and I’ll probably kick myself in a second, but-” Deciding that explaining it would make the situation even weirder, Daichi leaned forward, his hand cupping the flushed cheek in front of him. The man’s glance met his for only a second before eyes closed, Daichi pressing his mouth to the trembling lips in front of him. The sweet liquor of the drink stained the other man’s mouth, and Daichi quietly submerged himself in the taste. Soft fingertips trailed his wrist before a warm palm pressed to the back of his hand, and soft lips parted for Daichi to deepen the intimate moment. The education student enjoyed the contact with a slow, deliberate kiss, keeping the connection innocent despite how tempting his taste was. He knew nothing about this guy. He had only known about him for a few hours. Yet here, in this moment, Daichi felt complete. The way the man melted into his touch, the softness of his skin, and how perfect their lips matched made up for every crazy thing before it. 

 

After a few quiet moments Daichi pulled back, but kept his hand on the man’s cheek while he waited for eyes to open again. 

 

“Wow…” A breathy response from the mystery man showed the kiss wasn’t a mistake, and hazel eyes finally re-appeared to stare up at Daichi in awe. “I just got kissed by my valentine, and I don’t even know his name.” 

 

“Shit.” How had he forgotten to give his name?! Feeling like an idiot, Daichi quickly bowed his head in apology as he stumbled through his introduction.“So-sorry! My name is Daichi, Sawamura Daichi. I just...we’ve been talking all night, and I forgot-”

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Daichi.” Lifting his head, Daichi watched the kind smile from the first snap shine brightly on the man’s face. “I’m Sugawara Koushi, but you can just call me Suga.” 

 

“Suga…” Somehow, the name suited the mystery man perfectly. And it felt really good on his lips. Feeling the desire to say it again, Daichi pressed forward. “I don’t understand why you’re still here, Suga.” 

 

“Did you not want me to be?” Suga asked, and Daichi was quick to shake his head.

 

“No, no I did. But I just...Oikawa said that the pub crawl left already.” 

 

“Well they did, and I was going to go with them. But then I saw what you said at the other bar. And I thought ‘if this guy abandoned his favorite teacher’s paper and is running all across campus just to see me, why shouldn’t I wait for him?’. And so I told them to go ahead, and I just hoped you didn’t give up on me.” Suga’s smile was bright as he leaned into the hand on his cheek, closing his eyes. “And it sounds crazy, but I’m really happy you found me, Daichi.” 

 

“I...I am too.” Daichi felt his heart leap into his throat when Suga squeezed his hand, wondering why the small action felt so surreal. Leaning forward again, Daichi pressed his forehead against his valentine’s, their noses nuzzling as Suga laughed through his blush. The two didn’t take long to share another kiss, neither noticing the pair of phones recording them. 

 

“New geotag; Karasuno nerd Found Mystery Guy.” Kuroo grinned as he sent the new video, Oikawa giving a small coo after tucking his phone away.

 

“They’re so cute, it’s sickening to us single people.” The bartender slid a beer over to Kuroo, leaning on his elbow as he stared curiously at the lone man. “So tell me, was this your plan all along?” 

 

“Them hooking up?”

 

“Them finding their other half. It’s obvious these two fools were made for each other.” Oikawa’s observation made Kuroo take a swig of his beer, shaking his head as he placed the glass back onto his coaster. 

 

“True, but I can’t take that credit. I’m good, but not _that_ good. You can’t plan a love story like this.” 

 

“Why do you say that, Mr.Romantic?” Kuroo’s phone vibrated, and Kuroo snuck a peek down at the snap he had received. A small smile reached his lips when seeing a face he had been thinking of all night popped onto his screen. Part of it was covered by a small stuffed animal, the black cat holding a box of Kuroo’s favorite chocolate between his paws. Though the stuffed animal covered most of Kenma’s face, the tops of his cheeks were red, the golden eyes casted to the side in embarrassment. 

 

And in small letters, the caption read ‘I saw your Valentine got stolen, so…’.

 

“Because when true love happens, it's those moments you _can’t_ plan that make you fall in love with them. That, my friend, is the beauty of love.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kuroo is the best friend ever. And shout out to KageHina for being the MVPS! What did you guys think of it? What was your favorite part? I am planning on doing some other spin offs from this AU with BokuAka and IwaiOi in the future, so keep an eye out for them. And my new stories should be up this month! Hope to hear from you soon!


End file.
